5 hospitals in Metro Manila serves as initial COVID-19 vaccine trial sites

Chairperson of the vaccine expert panel formed by the Department of Science and Technology said that 5 hospitals in Metro Manila and Cebu will act as initial trial ground in the search for vaccine against Covid-19.

Photo credit: cfr.org

“Ang isang kailangan ay mataas ang transmission rate ng COVID para mapasama sa clinical trial site but other hospitals may be included based on COVID-19 case rates later on,” (There should be a high transmissiob rate of Covid to be included for clinical trial site, but other hospitals may be included based on COVID-19 case rates later on,) vaccine researcher Dr. Nina Gloriana said.

According to Dr. Gloriana the trial is tentatively scheduled on October 2020 to March 2021 but may be extended up to September 2021. She added that there are 21 vaccines already undergoing clinical trials while 139 others are on the pre-clinical evaluation stage. 

Pre-clinical studies refer to laboratory testing and animal studies. Phase 1 of the clinical studies includes testing the safety and efficacy of a vaccine on a small group of people, phase 2 expands coverage to hundreds of people to determine the needed dosage, and phase 3 will cover thousands of patients.

The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases has so far approved collaborations for vaccine trials with China and Taiwan, Dr. Gloriana said. She also said that there are many levels for approval before they can start with their clinical trial.

Once trial is initiated, there are about 1,000 to 5,000 volunteers that will participate aged 18-59. Others priorities are high risk for COVID-19 infection such as healthcare and frontline workers.

Gloriana added that the vaccine expert panel is monitoring vaccine trials around the world.

“Ang nakikita po namin nagii-stand out ay ang galing sa United Kingdom, ito po yung Oxford vaccine. Sa United States medyo dalawa yata at yung sa China, siyempre po nanggaling ang COVID-19 sa China so medyo advanced sila, at meron din pong galing sa India,” (As we observe, one vaccine that stands out is the Oxford vaccine from United Kingdom. In United States, there are two. In China where Covid-19 originated, they are already advanced there, and there's one from India,) she said.

Gloriana said Philippine experts have noted 8 out of 19 of 20 clinical trial vaccines are performing better than others.

“Kasama po diyan sa walo na yan yung kino-consider natin na siyang ite-test dito sa Pilipinas. Inaayos na ang lahat ng regulatory requirements,” (The vaccine that we are considering to test here in the Philippines is in that 8. We are just fixing the regulatory requirements,) she explained.

Here are the hospitals that will be a site for clinical trials:

Philippine General Hospital

Research Institute for Tropical Medicine Manila Doctors Hospital

San Lazaro Hospital

Vicente Sotto Medical Center in Cebu City.